Nathan

its just pizza.

I don't think this is a fair characterization. I think this description is insulting, actually. On different note, do all of Boulud's restaurants send out warm madeleines at the end? I suppose by this I mean Bar Boulud, since I know that both Daniel and Cafe Boulud does and I'm fairly certain that db bistro moderne does as well (although I'm not entirely sure about the latter). ← What's insulting about saying that cafe boulud has very wealthy regulars? ← For one thing, cafeteria = no service. Cafe Boulud = very good service. And, for what it's worth, customer regularity does not a cafeteria make. ← ah. you were taking me extremely literally. just to make it fun: there's been more than one restaurant in NY called "Cafeteria" that was a full service operation.

The segment of the dining public you define as "sexy" and "trendy" comprises something like 2%. Your comment has nothing whatever to do with the habits of the other 98%. ← The UES is filled with destination restaurants and bars drawing people from all over the city? Dorrians and the Tin Lizzy are filled with downtowners?

I don't think this is a fair characterization. I think this description is insulting, actually. On different note, do all of Boulud's restaurants send out warm madeleines at the end? I suppose by this I mean Bar Boulud, since I know that both Daniel and Cafe Boulud does and I'm fairly certain that db bistro moderne does as well (although I'm not entirely sure about the latter). ← What's insulting about saying that cafe boulud has very wealthy regulars?

that Kill Devil is just nuts good. strong but balanced flavors. boozy in a good way. some new bartenders last night that I hadn't seen before but they certainly seemed well-trained.

it is a neighborhood restaurant. The thing about the UES is that no one goes there. Or rather, no one goes there to go out. Its neither sexy nor trendy. However, it is two extremely dissimilar neighborhoods. One part is probably the wealthiest neighborhood in the city (but this tends to be older money) competing only with CPW and TriBeCa (the most affluent zip code in the city) and the other part (roughly lex and east) has some of the cheapest rents in manhattan and is seen as a "starter" neighborhood for new college grads and young families. Cafe Boulud functions as a neighborhood cafeteria for people residing in the first part. But its not a destination because people from other parts of the city don't go out on the UES. Its unclear whether any restaurant in that hood would ever be a destination. (at least until the UES becomes trendy again...its cyclical.) so it's a neighborhood restaurant of a certain type. i.e. Brother Jimmy's is also an UES neighborhood restaurant...but for the other part.

I want to fourth this. You can eat at the bar everywhere. Plus a combination of the economy and summer is making ressies easy. So tell us more about what you're interested in and your budget.

I'll also say that I'll take the duck entree I had at Balthazar over the one I had at Benoit any day of the week. I thought the mains at Bar Boulud were kind of boring...but there are actively BAD ones at Benoit.

Some of the charcuterie platter at Benoit is easily the equal of BB - some is not. And I think Balthazar behaves more like a brasserie than a bistro - there's absolutely no comparison with the energy in the room, or the fries. ← right. (actually, the langue du veau is better than anything at Boulud....but the rest are mostly inferior). as for brasserie/bistro.....like trattoria/osteria...today that is a distinction without a difference. heck, they're interchangeable in France now.

Are you talking about charcuterie or overall? I disagree with either claim but am interested in which you're making. both. at least for ordinary diners.

I thought Bruni panned it, no? ← not at all. it was a very positive review. same for Terroir.

the menu has expanded further. Wonderful lamb tripe dish. Nice list. I'm sitting here at the bar wondering why despite laudatory reviews from bruni and platt this place doesn't get more attention from foodies.

I had that big eye tuna dish a couple months ago (and some others)...very nice.

1. first off, Bar Boulud blows Benoit out of the water. 2. and yes, I think Balthazar's consistency makes it better as well. Benoit apparently can't even do frites right! 3. and yes, I thought the langue du veau was amazing at Benoit.

Benoit is getting a beating cause it's just not very good. and I can't help but think that a mixture of the Ducasse name and sentimentality for that food is causing some to overrate it. sorry, just my opinion. edit: and Adour has gotten sterling reviews so obviously Ducasse can "catch a break" with NY critics.

the menu has greatly expanded (and not just in terms of food and cocktails)...all sorts of interesting stuff...a tea menu, house made sodas, bar snacks. they also have a $45 Sunday night prix fixe.

Warehouse Liquors has it. about $48. kind of steep but I'm sure I'll talk myself into it.

this is on point: http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/travel/06journeys.html are we really talking about bistronomias?

the old Provence space. pretty, large interior with an enclosed back garden. cocktails didn't look interesting, beer and wine list was well-chosen though. comfort/southern food emphasis. mostly gentle pricing. "tea sandwiches" were ok...liverwurst being best. chicken-fried rabbit was good...except for the way too cloying pecan sauce served on the side (isn't chicken-fried steak normally accompanied by a white gravy?). the version of German potatoes on the side was quite good. scallops and peas were a very generous portion for the price. unfortunately, the scallops were tasteless. a glazed pork main (with all sorts of accompaniments) was very good. service was pleasant and professional. at one level, it's an ideal date spot...and gently priced comfort food doesn't hurt... on the other hand, Shorty's 32 is around the corner doing the same type of thing...and it's better (but much smaller). and Little Owl is within walking distance.

there's an awesome dish (for like $12!!!!!) of mackerel over fried cauliflower and kimchee (kind of similar to Manchurian Cauliflower) on the menu right now. also a fan of the beef tips with kimchee butter over creamed spinach.

really like that Mariner. who's is it?

Did you have anything to eat, Nathan...I've heard rumors of a new, respected chef cooking there now. ← I'll confess to not having food there in a couple years. I did eat at Barbuto earlier (I can't recall the food....Heidi Klum was eating a couple tables over and she's rather....uh......distracting.)

I was at the bar last night...it's as good as ever IMO. some nice new drinks on the menu too. some empty seats when we arrived at 9:30/10. packed when we left around midnight.

I use restaurant websites. its just that they're often hard to find...while the menupages, citysearch, and nymag info pops up right away. so you end up using them more often.

(shudders) last night I was at a bar in midtown Manhattan (ok, it was Hell's Kitchen) called "Vintage"....a friend proclaimed them as having "great martinis"....the drinks were similar to the list above (and as long)...without the ice cream concoctions. what's almost worst is that the bar's moniker was completely misleading...the wine list was horrid.